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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

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http://www.archive.org/details/federatedgovernmOOcityrich 


OCT  L5 

A  FEDERATED  GOVERNMENT 

FOR  ALAMEDA  COUNTY 

AND  ITS  CITIES 


INTRODUCTORY 
STATEMENT 


/  OB  THE 

![  um:ivers 

\  •    OS 


Issued  by 

City  and  County  Government  Association 

1206  Broadway,  Oakland,  Cal. 
JUNE,  1916 


INTRODUCTORY  STATEMENT  RELATING  TO  THE  PRO- 

POSED  CITY  AND  COUNTY '  CHARTER   FOR 

ALAMEDA  COUNTY  AND  ITS  CITIES 


The  city  and  county  movement  wihich  has  given  rise  to  this  charter  has  had 
as  its  objective: — 

( 1 )  The  federation  of  our  city  and  county  governments  in  such  a  way 
as  to  avoid  the  dupHcation  of  offices  and  consequent  waste  imder  the  present 
system. 

(2)  The  preservation  of  the  identity  of  the  several  municipalities  within 
the  city  and  county  together  with  reasonable  powers  of  local  self-government. 

(3)  The  improvement  of  the  machinery  of  administration  by  the  intro- 
duction of  modern,  non-political  methods  properly  safeguarded  against  abuse. 

Thi^  charter  has  been  framed  with  each  of  these  objects  in  mind  and  must 
be  read  in  the  light  of  their  varied  and  sometimes  conflicting  demands. 

The  plan  which  this  charter  proposes  is  that  of  federation  rather  than 
consolidation.  Each  of  the  municipalities  within  the  propose^  city  and  county, 
in  certain  instances  with  the  addition  of  certain  territory  at  present  unincorpor- 
ated, will  preserve  its  name  and  identity  as  a  borough.  For  example,  there  will 
be  a  Borough  of  Berkeley,  a  Borough  of  Oakland,  a  Borough  of  Alameda,  etc. 
Each  of  these  boroughs  will  retain  and  will  exercise  through  an  elective  ''Bor- 
ough Board,"  extensive  legislative  powers,  among  the  most  important  of  which 
are: 

(i)  Police  ordinance  power  with  regard  to  borough  control  over  liquor 
and  other  regulations. 

(2)     Exclusive  power  of  appropriation  for  the  following  purposes : 

(a)  Paving,  cleaning,  watering,  lighting' and  repairing  streets, 
except  main  thoroughfares. 

(b)  Construction    and    maintenance    of    sewers,    e:^cept    main 
sewers. 

(c)  Parks  and  playgr6unds  (except  parks  subsequently  acquired 
by  the  city  and  county). 

(d)  Police  and  fire  departments  within  the  borough. 

(e)  Incidental  expenses  of  the  borough  board,  etc. 

(Boroughs  are  also  required  to  pay  their  proportionate  share  of  the  over- 
head expenses  of  conducting  the  police,  fire  and  public  works  departments). 

All  the  powers  not  specifically  conferred  on  the  boroughs  are  reserved  to 
the  city  and  county.  The  governing  body  of  the  city  and  county  is  a  council 
(board  of  supervisors)  of  twenty-one  members  nominated  and  elected  by  dis- 
tricts. For  this  purpose  the  city  and  county  is  divided  into  twenty-one  districts, 
the  lines  of  which  have  been  established  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure  representa- 
tion for  each  element  of  the  population.  The  mentbers  of  the  council  will 
receive  ten  dollars  for  each  meeting  attended,  not  exceeding  five  meetings  in 
any  one  month. 

The  federation  is  made  to  serve  the  interests  of  economy  by  centralizing 
in  the  city  and  county  government  all  administrative  functions.  There  will  be, 
for  example,  but  one  police  department,  one  fire  department,  one  department  of 
publjc  works,  one  assessor,  one  treasurer  and  tax  collector,  one  auditor,  one 
health  ofificer,  etc.  The  borough  boards  will  determine  with  regard  to  a  large 
number  of  matters  how  much  shall  be  appropriated,  but  it  will  be  expended  by 
the  central  government  without  unnecessary  duplicating  officers. 

1 


At  the  head  of  the  Centralized  administrative  organization  of  the  city  and 
county  is  the  manager.  He  is  appointed  and  removed  by  the  comicil,  to  whom 
he  is  responsible  in  the  same  manner  that  the  manager  of  a  corporation  is  res- 
ponsible to  the  board  of  directors.  He  appoints  the  heads  of  all  the  administra- 
tive departments  of  the  city  and  county  and  directs  their  activities.  He  prepares 
the  annual  estimate  of  revenue  and  expenditures.  He  attends  every  meeting  of 
the  council  and  of  the  borough  boards.  (In  the  latter  case  attendance  may  be 
by  deputy).  He  is  the  co-ordinating  or  connecting  link  between  the  council 
and  the  borough  boards. 

rhe  mayor  will  be  elected  by  the  people  of  the  city  and  county.  He  will  be 
the  ceremonial  head  of  the  city  government  and  will  appoint  subject  to  con- 
firmation by  the  council,  certain  officers  and  boards  who  naturally  stand  out 
of  the  direct  line  of  functions  centralized  in  the  manager— auditor,  civil  service 
and  efficiency  commission,  board  of  education,  board  of  library  trustees,  and 
judges  of  the  municipal  court,  etc.  He  has  a  veto  power  over  the  measures 
of  the  council,  but  the  council  has  powder  to  overru'le  such  veto  by  a  two-thirds 
vote. 

For  the  present  cumbersome,  inefficient  and  expensive  system  of  justices 
of  the  peace  and  police  courts  the  charter  substitutes  a  municipal  court  of  five 
well-paid  judges,  appointed  for  long  terms. 

The  "welfare"  functions  of  the  city-^— parks,  playgrounds,  charities,  health, 
care  of  delinquent  minors,  etc.,  are  put  in  charge  of  a  director  of  public  welfare. 
Provision  is  made  for  a  city  planning  commission  with  adequate  powers  to  secure 
the  efficient  and  harmonious  development  of  the  city. 

Educational  administration  is  centralized  in  a  single  board  of  education,  but 
by  dividing  the  city  arid  county  into  school  districts  (the  existing 
districts  are  preserved  for  the  present),  it  is  possible  to  avoid  ov»erburdening 
the  smaller  communities  with  the  high  school  tax  rate  necessary  to  meet  the 
needs  of  Oakland  or  Berkeley. 

Provision  is  made  for  a  harbor  district  to  include  all  tide,  submerged  and 
filled  lands  and  all  waterfront  property  either  publicly  or  privately  owned.  This 
is  to  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Board  of  Harbor  Commissioners,  consist- 
ing of  the  manager,  director  of  public  works  and  three  others  appointed  by  the 
manager.  The  harbor  commissioner  is  to  appoint  a  superintendent  and  other 
officers  and  employees.  The  harbor  is  designated  to  be  a  public  utility  and  is 
to  be  operated  and  financed  as  such. 

All  positions  except  boards  and  commissions,  the  manager  and  the  em- 
ployees in  his  immediate  office,  are  included  in  the  classified  civil  service,  thus 
eliminating  the  spoils  system  entirely  from  the  city  and  county  government. 

The  financial  provisions  of  the  charter  are  so  arranged  as  to  require  the 
installation  of  modern  accounting  and  the  introduction  of  every  useful  safeguard 
m  protecting  the  expenditure  of  public  money.  A  purchasing  department  is 
provided  of  the  most  efficient  type. 

Elections — The  initiative,  referendum  and  recall  and  other  similar  matters 
are  provided  for  in  such  manner  as  to  correct  the  evils  which  have  become 
apparent  in  the  workings  of  the  corresponding  provisions  at  present  in  some 
of  the  city  charters. 

It  is  proposed  also  to  submit  to  the  voters  an  alternative  provision  provid- 
ing for  a  system  of  preferential  voting,  which,  if  adopted,  would  obviate  the 
necessity  of  double  municipal  elections,  thus  saving  one-half  of  our  present  elec^ 
tion  expenses. 

The  charter  provides  for  indeterminate  franchises  reserving  to  the  city  and 
county  the  right  to  acquire  the  franchise  utility  at  any  time  at  a  valuation  to 
be  determined  by  the  Railroad  Commission  of  the  State  of  California.     It  fur- 


ther  provides  that  any  holder  of  franchises  within  the  city  and  county  at  the 
time  the  charter  takes  effect  may  by  surrendering  its  franchises  secure  a  new 
consolidated  franchise.  This  provision  opens  the  way  to  public  ownership  and 
at  the  same  time  puts  the  franchises  of  any  public  utility  taking  advantage  of  it 
on  a  stable  basis  so  that  it  can  successfully  finance  its  development.  Ample 
provision  is  made  for  the  public  ownership  and  operation  of  public  utilities  and 
their  management  through  the  departure  of  public  works.  The  control  of  the 
Alameda  electric  light  works  is  left  in  the  hands  of  the  existing  board  to  operate 
in  the  interest  of  the  people  of  Alameda. 

As  a  whole  the  proposed  charter  establishes  for  the  administration  of  the 
business  of  the  cities  and  the  county  a  fundamental  frame-work,  systematically 
organized,  under  central  control  with  fixed  responsiblity — instead  of  the  dis- 
jointed and  disorganized  arrangement  we  are  working  under  at  present,  with 
its  duplicating  offiicials  and  attendant  overhead  costs. 

We  believe  that  the  placing  into  operation  of  the  plan  which  this  charter 
proposes  will  create  a  condition  for  which  all  the  communities  of  this  county 
are  striving  in  common — better  government  without  interference  with  the 
identity  and  the  independence  of  the  various  communities  and  a  greater  effici- 
ency in  the  expenditure  of  the  tax  dollar. 

The  charter  answers  in  the  affirmative  the  question : — 

Can  the  cities  and  the  county  have  a  consolidated,  unified  government  with- 
out county  division,  thereby  eliminating  all  unnecessary  duplicating  officers 
and  departments,  and  still  allow  communities  to  maintain  their  identity  and 
independence  and  enable  them  to  say  just  what  they  want  in  the  shape  of  local 
improvements,  reserving  to  them  the  fixing  of  the  amount  of  their  own  tax  rate 
and  the  purposes  for  which  the  money  shall  be  expended  in  their  own  com- 
munities. 


Oakland  <>i^^^  Enquirer 


SUMMARY  OF  A  SUGGESTED 

CHARTER  FOR  A  FEDERATED 

CITY  AND  COUNTY 

GOVERNMENT 

FOR  ALAMEDA  COUNTY 

AND  ITS  CITIES 


THE  PLAN  PROPOSED 

IS 

A  System  of  Boroughs  Whereby  Each  of  the  Cities  Retain 

Their   Present   Identity   and   Independence — Fix    Their 

Own  Tax  Rate— and  Determine  the  Purposes  for 

Which  the  Tax  Money  Shall   Be   Expended 

— As  Well  As  Retain  All  Powers  of 

Police  and  Health  Regulations 


Submitted  by  the  Executive  Committee 

to  the  City  and  County  Government  Association 

for  discussion  and  consideration 

JUNE.  1916 


A  DIGEST  OF  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THE  PROPOSED 
CITY  AND  COUNTY  CHARTER 


I_BOUNDARIES  AND  POWERS  OF  CITY  AND 

COUNTY 

BOUNDARIES  AND  NAME: 

The  proposed  city  and  county  retains  the  same  name  and  territory  as  the 
present  County  of  Alameda. 

POWERS  OF  THE  CITY  AND  COUNTY: 

rh^  city  and  county  is  given  all  powers  conferred  upon  cities  by  the  laws 
of  the  State;  also  all  powers  conferred  upon  counties  and  cities  and  counties 
and  such  other  powers  appropriate  to  a  county,  city,  city  and  county  as  are 
not  specifically  prohibited  by  the  constitution  of  the  State. 

II— BOROUGHS 

BOROUGHS   AND    BOUNDARIES: 

There  are  eleven  boroughs.  The  boroughs  of  Albany,  Berkeley,  EmerV", 
vil'le,  Oakland,  Piedmont,  and  Alameda  are  composed  of  the  cities  bearing  their 
respective  names.  (In  some  instances  unincorporated  territory  of  small  area 
has  been  added  to  these  cities).  The  boroughs  of  Hay  ward,  San  Leandro, 
Pleasanton  and  Livermore  are  also  composed  of  the  cities  bearing  their  names, 
but  these  boroughs  include  adjacent  unincorporated  territory.  The  borough 
of  Washington  consists  of  Washington  Township. 

BOROUGH  POWERS: 

Boroughs  have  the  powers  specifically  conferred  upon  them  by  the  charter. 

LEGISLATION: 

The  borough  has  legislative  power,  in  the  absence  of  legislation  on  the 
subject  matter  by  the  city  and  county,  to  enact  ordinances  and  laws  in  the 
exercise  of  its  'Tolice  Power" — that  is  to  say,  to  pass  rules  and  regulations 
for  the  protection  of  the  lives,  health  and  comfort  of  persons  within 
the  borough — except,  however,  that  the  borough  cannot  legislate  with  regard 
to  certain  matters  requiring  uniform  county  legislation,  such  as  regulations  as 
to  traffic,  buildings,  city  planning,  the  harbor  district,  licenses,  except  liquor 
licenses.  (As  to  the  borough's  power  with  reference  to  liquor  licenses,  see 
topic  ''Liquor  Licenses,"  page  12). 

TAXES   AND   APPROPRIATIONS: 

The  borough  fixes  its  own  borough  tax  rate  in  that  it  has  the  exclusive 
power  of  appropriation  for  the  purposes  of  the  paving,  cleaning,  watering,  light- 
ing and  repairing  of  streets  and  roads,  except  main  thoroughfares ;  the  construc- 
tion ind  maintenance  of  sewers,  except  main  sewers ;  police  and  fire  departments 
within  the  borough,  incidental  expenses  of  the  Borough  Board  and  officers, 


proportionate  share  for  the  borough  of  expenditures  for  garbage  disposal  and 
the  Dublic  pound  and  of  the  "overhead''  expenses  of  conducting  the  police, 
fire   and  public  works  departments. 

BONDED  INDEBTEDNESS: 

Borough  bonded  indebtedness  can  be  incurred  only  by  a  two-thirds  ma- 
jority vote  of  the  electors  voting  thereon. 

Each  city  and  otlter  political  subdivision  within  the  city  and  county  shall 
continue  to  stand  all  of  its  present  indebtedness  and  outstanding  bond  issues, 
whether  incurred  for  the  harbor,  public  buildings  or  otherwise. 

PUBLIC  WORK: 

The  Borough  Boards  also  have  power,  which  they  shall  exercis^e  until  a 
change  in  the  procedure  with  regard  to  public  improvements  to  be  paid  for  by 
assessments  on  private  property,  to  hear  and  decide  the  objections  to  the 
proposed  work. 

INVESTIGATIONS: 

The  Borough  Boards  have  extensive  powers  for  investigation  with  refer- 
ence to  the  conduct  of  officials  and  departments  in  the  expenditure  of  the 
borough  funds. 

BOROUGH  OFFICERS: 

To  avoid  unnecesary  duplication  in  officials  all  administrative  functions 
are  centralized  in  one  set  of  city  and  county  officers ;  these  officers  to  be  deemed 
borough  officers  when  performing  borough  functions. 

BOROUGH  BOARD  AND  SALARIES: 

Each  borough  elects  for  a  term  of  four  years  a  Borough  Board  composed 
of  five  members,  who  must  be  residents  of  the  borough.  Each  member  re- 
ceivles  as  compensation  $5.00  per  meeting  attended,  provided  that  no  more  than 
$10.00  per  month  can  be  paid  any  member  in  boroughs  under  30,000  in  popula- 
tion and  $25.00  per  month  in  larger  boroughs. 

BOROUGH  CLERK: 

The  manager  appoints  a  clerk  for  each  Borough  Board.  The  clerk  shall 
also  be  a  deputy  tax  collector  in  the  borough  and  perform  such  other  functions 
in  the  borough  as  are  assigned  him. 

Ill— THE  CITY  AND* COUNTY: 

POWERS: 

All  powers  not  specifically  conferred  on  the  boroughs  are  reserved  by 
the  city  and  county,  which  has  all  other  powers  and  functions  permitted  by  the 
general  laws!  and  not  specifically  prohibited  bv  the  constitution. 


THE  COUNCIL  OR  BOARD  OF  SUPERVISORS: 

COUNCIL: 

The  Board  of  Supervisors  shall  be  known  as  the  Council  It  consists  of 
21  members  nominated  and  elected  by  districts.  Each  member  must  be  a 
qualified  elector  of  the  district  from'  which  he  is  nominated. 

"The  county  is  divided  into  21  districts  of  approximately  equal  popula- 
tion, the  lines  being  drawn  so  as  to  secure  compact  districts  representing  each 
element  in  the  population  of  the  city  and  county. 

COMPENSATION: 

The  members  of  the  council  receive  $10.00  for  each  meeting  attended, 
provided  that  no  councilman  shall  receive  as  compensation  more  than  $50.00 
per  month. 

POWERS  OF  THE  COUNCIL: 

The  Council  has  the  legislative  powers  now  exercised  by  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  and  by  a  council  of  a  city.  It  is  the  policy-making  body  and,  on 
certain  subjects,  such  as  traffic,  buildings,  etc.,  has  the  exdusive  powers  of 
legislation.  It  has  extensive  powers  with  relation  to  the  organization  of  the 
city  and  county  government,  including  the  power  to  create,  discontinue  and 
combine  departments,  offices  and  employments. 

MAYOR: 

The  Mayor  is  elected  at  large  for  the  term  of  four  years,  receiving  a 
salary  of  $5000  per  annum.  He  presides  over  the  Council  and  can  vote 
in  case  of  a  tie.  He  has  the  power  to  veto  any  measu're  of  the  Council, 
which  veto  can  only  be  overruled  by  a  two-thirds  vote.  He  appoints  the  five 
Municipal  Court  Judges,  the  Auditor,  the  members  of  the  Civil  Service  and 
Efficiency  Commission,  the  Board  of  Library  Trustees,  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion (subject,  however,  to  approval  by  the  Council).  The  Mayor  is  the  official 
head  of  the  city  for  all  ceremonial  purposes, 

IV— THE    ADMINISTRATIVE   DIVISION 

MANAGER: 

The  Manager  is  appointed  by  the  Council.  If  the  Council  cannot  within 
sixty  days  agree,  upon  a  manager,  he  is  appointed  by  a  majority  vote  of  the 
chairmen  of  all  the  Borough  Boards.  He  is  the  administrative  head  of  the 
city  and  county  government  and  is  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  all  the 
departments. 

He  appoints,  subject  to  the  civil  service  provisions  of  the  charter,  practi- 
cally aill  the  heads  of  the  departments,  and  directs  their  activity,  and  has  exten- 
sive powers  of  investigation.  He  is  under  duty  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the 
Council  and  must  also  attend,  either  personally  or  by  deputy,  the  meetings  of 
the  Borough  Boards,  recommending  to  these  bodies  measures  for  their  adop- 
tion. At  these  meetings  he  is  entitled  to  take  part  in  the  discussion  but  not  to 
vote.  The  Manager  must  also  prepare  the  annual  budget  for  the  Council  and 
Borough  Boards. 


DEPARTIVIENTS : 

The  officers  under  the  direct  administrative  supervision  of  the  Manager 
are  the  following: 

( 1 )  Direcor  of  Public  Works. 

(2)  Director  of  Public  Welfare  (who  are  to  be  the  chief  assistants  of 
the  Manager  and  be  responsible  for  many  important  chief  offices  and  com- 
missions). 

(3)  City  Clerk. 

(4)  County  Clerk  and  Recorder.     . 

(5)  Assessor. 

(6)  Treasurer  and  Tax  Collector. 

(7)  Purchasmg  Agent. 

(8)  Chief  of  Police  and  Sheriff. 

(9)  Fire  Chief. 

(10)  City  Attorney. 

(11)  Public  Administrator. 

The  divisions  under  the  administrative  supervision  of  the  Manager,  but 
foi',  which  the  Director  of  Public  Works  is  responsible  are : 

(i)     Street. and  Sewer  (City  Engineer  and  County  Surveyor).  ^ 

(2)  Street  Cleaning  and  Garbage. 

(3)  Harbor. 

(4)  Electricity. 

(5)  Building  Inspection. 

(6)  Auditorium  and  Public  Buildings. 

(7)  City  Yard  and  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  which  has  charge  of 
public  improvements  by  special  assessments. 

The  divisions  under  the  administrative  supervision  of  the  Manager,  but 
for  which  the  Director  of  Public  Welfare  is  responsible  are : 

(i)  Playgrounds  and  Recreation. 

(2)  Parks. 

(3)  Health. 

(4)  Public  Charity. 

(5)  Sealing  of  Weights  and  Measures. 

CITY  CLERK: 

The  City  Clerk  is  Clerk  of  the  Council  and  is  also  ex-officio  Registrar 
of  Voters.  He  performs  all  the  duties  in  regard  to  the  elections  which  now 
or  may  hereafter  devolve  upon  the  county  clerks  or  registrars  with  reference 
to  .such  elections. 

COUNTY  CLERK  AND  RECORDER: 

The  duties  of  the  two  offices  are  sonsolidated  into  one  office.  The  County 
(Jlerk  and  Recorder  shall  perform  all  the  duties  performed  by  the  county  clerk 
(except  as  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors)  and  also  all  the  duties  that  are 
performed  by  the  county  recorder. 

CITY  ATTORNEY: 

There  is  one  City  Attorney  who  attends  to  all  litigation,  drafts  all  contracts 
and  other  instruments  and  prepares  all  legal  proceedings  for  public  work.  He 
must  give  his  entire  time  to  the  work  of  the  city  and  county. 


ASSESSOR: 

There  shall  be  one  Assessor  who  shall  make  one  assessment  valuation  both 
for  the  boroughs  and  for  the  city  and  county,  instead  of  two  separate  assess- 
ments as  at  present. 

TREASURER  AND  TAX  COLLECTOR: 

These  two  offices  are  consoHdated  mto  one  office.  There  is  only  one 
Treasurer  who  will  be  ex-officio  Tax  Collector,  collecting-  the  taxes  both  for 
the  boroughs  and  the  city  and  county  in  all  the  cities  and  throughout  the)  entire 
county. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  WORKS: 

This  department  has  several  divisions,  streets,  street  cleaning,  electricity, 
building  inspection,  public  buildings,  the  harbor  (See  topic  "The  Harbor," 
page  13),  and  other  divisions.  There  shall  be  a  Director  of  Public  Works 
who  shall  be  the  head  of  the  department.  Under  the  Director  of  Public  Works 
there  shall  be  a  City  Engineer  who  shall  do  all  the  engineering  work  for  the 
entire  city  and  county  and  also  perform  all  the  duties  now  devolving  upon  the 
County  vSurveyor  and  Superintendent  of  Streets ;  all  three  of  these  offices 
being  consolidated  in  the  office  of  City  Engineer.  The  City  Engineer  shall  be 
chief  of  the  division  of  streets  and  sewers. 

The  Board  of  Public  W^orks  is  created  without  any  additional  officers  or 
expense  to  the  city,  as  the  Board  consists  of  the  Manager,  City  Engineer  and 
Director  of  Public  Works,  who  serve  without  extra  compensation,  this  Board 
having)  charge  of  carrying  out  of  public  improvements  to  be  paid  for  by  special 
assessments  on  private  property  (See  topic  "Public  Work  to  be  Paid  for  by 
Special  Assessments,  page  11). 

POLICE  DEPARTMENT: 

There  shall  be  one  Chief  of  Police  who  shall  be  not  only  Chief  of 
Police  for  the  entire  city  and  county,  but  also  shall  act  as  Sheriff  of  the  city 
and  county.  Each  Borough  Board  determines  the  number,  grades  and  salaries 
of  the  police  officers  within  the  boroughs,  but  the  jurisdiction  of  the  police 
officers  shall  extend  throughout  the  entire  city  and  county  and  shall  be  under 
the  direction  of  the  Chief  of  Police.  All  members  of  the  police  force  in  the 
several  cities  within  the  county  shall  be  employed  by  the  city  and  county  in  their 
present  and  like  grades  and  at  their  present  salaries  until  they  are  promoted  or 
removed,  under  the  civil  service  provisions  of  the  charter. 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT: 

There  shall  be  a  Chief  of  the  Fire  Departmient  who  shall  have  charge  of 
the  Fire  Department  throughout  the  city  and  county.  Each  Borough  Board 
shall  determine  the  number,  grades  and  compensation  of  the  members  of  the 
department  within  the  borough,  and  there  shall  be  in  each  borough  such  appara- 
tus and  equipment  as  the  Borough  Board  determines.  As  in  the  case  of  the 
police  department  the  present  salaried  members  in  the  various  cities  shall  re- 
main in  employment,  subject  only  to  the  limitation  specified  in  the  case  of 
police  officers. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  WELFARE: 

This  department  has  several  divisions,  to-vvit,  playgrounds,  recreation, 
parks,  health,  public  charities,  sealing  of  weights  and  measures. 

PARKS,  PLAYGROUNDS  AND  RECREATION: 

The  divisions  of  parks  and  playgrounds  and  recreation  are  taken  care  of  by 
commissions,  members  of  wihich  are  appointed  by  the  Director  of  Public  Wel- 
fare, and  serve  without  compensation. 

PUBLIC  CHARITIES: 

The  division  of  public  charity  shall  be  in  charge  of  a  Superintendent  of 
Charities,  who  shall  be  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  County  Infimiary. 

HEALTH: 

The  division  of  health  has  extensive  powers  of  investigation  and  may 
order  the  removal  or  destruction  of  all  matters  dangerous  to  health,  or  pro- 
ductive of  nuisance. 

There  is  an  advisory  Board  of  Health  to  serve  without  compensation, 
which  shaill  meet  at  the  call  of  the  Health  Officer  to  advise  with  him  on  any 
matter  which  he  may  refer  to  it. 

PUBLIC  DEFENDER: 

The  Council  may  create  the  office  of  Public  Defender  and  define  his 
duties.    This  provision  is  permissive  and  not  mandatory. 

PROBATION  OFFICER: 

The  Probation  Officer  and  his  assistants  shall  be  appointed  as  provided 
for  by  the  present  law,  except  that  the  compensation  may  be  determined  by  the 
Council. 

SEALER  OF  V7EIGHTS  AND  MEASURES: 

The  Sealer  of  Weights  and  Measures  is  appointed  by  the  Director  of 
Public  Welfare. 

PURCHASING  DEPARTMENT: 

There  is  one  purchasing  department  for  the  entire  city  and  county.  The 
Purchasing  Agent  is  directed  to  take  advantage  of  quantity  purchasing  at  the 
best  wholesale  prices  wherever  adi^antageous.  The  Purchasing  Agent  may  in 
his  discretion  advertise  for  sealed  proposals  for  purchase  of  supplies  and  ma- 
terials less  than  $1000,  but  it  is  mandatory  for  him  to  do  so  for  purchases  ex- 
ceeding $1000. 

V— JUDICIAL  OFFICES 

DISTRICT  ATTORNEY: 

The  District  Attorney  is  elected  as  at  present  and  must  attend  to  and  con- 

6 


duct  all  criminal  prosecutions  in  any  courts  of  the  city  and  county,  including 
the  Municipal  Court. 

CORONER: 

The  Coroner  is  appointed  by  the  District  Attorney  and  must  be  a  person 
licensed  to  practice  medicine  and  competent  to  conduct  autopsies. 

PUBLIC  ADMINISTRATOR: 

The  Public  Administrator  is  appointed  under  civil  service  and  all  fees  of 
the  Administrator  and  of  the  Attorney  of  the  Administrator  are  turned  in  to 
the  county,  these  officers  being  paid  a  salary  in  lieu  thereof.  The!  Attorney  for 
the  Administrator  shall  be  a  deputy  in  the  office  of  the  City  Attorney. 

MUNICIPAL  COURT: 

There  shall  be  one  Municipal  Court  which  shall  take  the  place  of  all  the 
Police  and  Justices'  Courts  now  existing  in  the  cities  throughout  the  county. 
The  functions  of  Police  Judges  and  Justices  of  the  Peace  are  consolidated 
in  the  Municipal  Court.  The  number  of  judges  is  five,  who  shall  elect  a 
presiding  judge  who  will  distribute  the  work.  Cases  originating  in  a  district 
shall  be  tried  by  the  judge  assigned  to  that  district,  provided,  however,  that  the 
presiding  judge  may  assign  cases  to  other  judges  if  the  calendar  thereof  is 
overcrowded. 

These  five  judges  are  appointed  by  the  Mayor  for  a  term  of  eight  years ; 
they  must  be  attorneys  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  this  State.  The 
salary  is  fixed  at  $3000  per  annum  and  they  must  devote  all  their  time  to 
the  duties  of  their  ol^ce. 


VI— PUBLIC    LIBRARIES 

LIBRARY  BOARD: 

The  Board  of  Library  Trustees,  composed  of  five  members,  appointed  by. 
the  Mayor,  shall  have  control  of  all  public  libraries  within  the  city  and  county. 

MAINTENANCE  OF  LIBRARIES: 

There  shall  be  a  central  city  and  county  library  or  branch  libraries  main- 
tained in  each  borough,  which  shall  be  supported  in  part  by  the  appropriations 
by  the  Borough  Board  thereof. 

The  present  employees  of  libraries  shall  be  retained  in  their  present  or 
like  grades  and  at  their  present  salaries  until  promoted,  demoted  or  removed 
under  the  civil  service  provisions  of  the  charter. 

Vli— CITY  AND  COUNTY  PLANNING 

PLANNING  COMMISSION: 

There  shall  be  a  City  and  County  Planning  Commission  consisting  of  the 
Manager,  Cit'y  Attorney,  City  Engineer  and  seven  members  to  be  appointed, 
all  of  whom  serve  without  compensation.    The  Commission  shall  treat  all  city 

7 


and  county  planning  as  a  unit,  under  a  definite  program  laid  out  for  the  future 
development  of  the  city  and  county.  Ordinances  which  particularly  affect  the 
city  plan  shall  be  submitted  to  the  Commission  for  report  and  recommenda- 
tion. The  securing  of  its  approval  is  necessary  for  the  acceptance  of  any  plan 
or  plot  or  any  new  subdivision  within  the  city  and  county,  the  location  of  any 
public  building  therein  or  the  creation  of  building  zones  therein.  This  Commis- 
sion shall  create  an  Art  Jury  to  serve  without  compensation  and  to  have  juris- 
diction with  reference  to  the  placing  of  statues  and  similar  objects  in  the  streets, 
parks  and  other  public  grounds. 

VIII— CIVIL  SERVICE^  AND  EFFICIENCY 

CIVIL  SERVICE  AND  EFFICIENCY  COIVIMISSION : 

The  Commission  is  composed  of  three  members  appointed  by  the  Mayor 
for  a  term  of  six  years,  who  serve  without  compensation,  and  are  removable 
only  for  misconduct  and  after  a  public  hearing. 

OFFICERS  AND  EMPLOYEES  UNDER    CIVIL    SERVICE    AND    THE 
PRE-REQUISITES  TO  THEIR  APPOINTMENT: 

Every  head  of  a  department  and  every  chief  of  a  division  and  all  other  ap- 
pointive officers  and  employees  of  the  city  and  county  are  under  civil  service, 
except  the  following:  (i)  the  officers  elected  by  the  people  (the  Mayor,  coun- 
cilmen  and  members  of  the  Borough  Board,  the  Superior  Judges  and  District 
Attorney)  ;  (2)  the  Manager,  and  employees  in  his  own  office;  (3)  the  mem- 
bers of  Boards;  (4)  employees  appointed  by  the  Superior  Courts  (such  as  Pro- 
bation Officer). 

In  the  case  of  heads  of  departments,  chiefs  of  divisions  and  positions  which 
call  for  professional  training,  the  Commission  certifies  to  the  appointing  author- 
ity, all  the  persons  who  on  the  basis  of  the  examinations  and  records  of  the 
Commission  are  qualified  for  the  position  and  the  appointing  authority  must 
appoint  one  of  the  persons  of  such  certified  civil  service  list. 

In  the  case  of  all  other  positions  under  civil  service,  the  Commission  certifies 
to  the  appointing  power- the  person  who  stands  highest  on  its  lists  (based  on 
competitive  examinations  and  records)  and  the  appointing  authority  must  ap- 
point such  person. 

An  adequate  system  for  promotion  for  merit  is  provided.  Moreover,  each 
employee  or  officer  appointed  or  promoted  is  on  probation  for  one  year  during 
which  time  he  may  be  discharged  upon  the  appointing  authority's  assigning 
reasons  therefor. 

There  is  provided  a  complete  method  for  removal,  demoting  and  disciplining 
of  off  icers  and  employees  upon  filed  charges,  giving  such  officers  and  employees 
the  right  to  a  public  hearing  upon  such  charges. 


PREFERENCE   GIVEN  TO   PRESENT  PUBLIC  EMPLOYEES: 

All  present  employees  of  the  County  and  of  the  various  cities  are  given 
the  right  to  take  an  examination  for  positions  under  the  City  and  County 
Goviernment  and  shall  be  given  a  preference  in  making  appointments  to  such 
positions  during  the  first  nine  months  after  the  first  meeting  in  July,  1917. 

8 


DUTIES  OP  THE  BOARD: 

The  Commission  is  given  not  only  the  duty  of  fixing  the  qualifications  for 
office  and  employments  and  the  holding  of  public  competitive  examinations 
therefor,  but  also  to  secure  continued  efficiency  in  the  service  to  the  city  and 
county  and  to  provide  and  preserve  records  therein.  The  Board  is  required 
to  properly  classify  all  positions  according  to  duties  and  responsibilities,  with 
fair  and  uniform  salaries  for  the  work  performed,  to  assist  in  the  proper 
organization  of  departments  and  systemization  of  work,  to  secure  economical 
operation  in  the  service,  and  efficiency  on  the  part  of  those  engaged  therein. 


IX— OTHER     PROVISIONS  RELATIVE  TO 
OFFICERS  AND  EMPLOYEES 

EMPLOYEES  PENSION  AND  INSURANCE  FUND: 

The  Council  may  provide  a  pension  and  insurance  system  creating  a  fund 
to  be  used  for  the  payment  of  superannuation  pensions,  of  death,  disability  and 
sick  benefits  and  for  medical  and  hospital  attention,  wihen  death,  disability  or 
sickness  is  not  caused  in  such  manner  as  to  give  rise  to  liability  under  the 
Workmen's  Compensation  Act. 

PROHIBITIONS  APPLICABLE  TO  OFFICERS  AND  EMPLOYEES: 

CANNOT  ENTER  POLITICS: 

No  officer  or  employee  can  take  any  part  whatsoever  in  political  affairs, 
except  to  cast  his  vote  and  privately  express  his  opinions.  Violation  will  be 
grounds  for  dismissal. 

CANNOT  BECOME  INTERESTED  IN  PUBLIC  CONTRACTS: 

No  officer  or  employee  can  be  interested  in  any  city  and  county  or  borough 
contract  or  franchise,  purchase,  lease  on  transaction,  on  penalty  of  losing  office 
—and  the  transaction  becomes  voidable  at  the  option  of  the  Council. 

INELIGIBLE  TO  CERTAIN  OFFICES: 

No  officer  or  employee  can  hold  any  other  public  office  except  that  of  notary 
public  or  in  the  National  Guard,  and  no  member  of  the  Council  or  Borough 
Board  is  eligible  to  appointive  offices. 


X— FINANCES 

FISCAL  YEAR: 

The  fiscal  year  continues  to  commence  on  the  first  day  of  July,  provided, 
however,  that  whenever  the  city  and  county  has  accumulated  a  cash  basis  fund 
sufficient  to  cover  the  demands  of  the  treasury  from  the  first  day  of  July  to  the 
first  day  of  November  iri  any  year,  the  fiscal  year  shall  thereafter  commence  on 
the  first  day  of  November. 

9 


AljrNUAL  PUBLIC  BUDGET: 

The  annual  budget  shall  be  printed  in  pamphlet  form  for  distribution  t< 
any  tax  payer  who  may  desire  a  copy ;  such  distribution  to  occur  before  the  dis 
cussion  of  the  budget,  so  that  the  tax  payer  may  compare  the  estimate  for  the 
current  year  with  that  of  the  previous  years.  Total  and  unit  costs  of  the  ex- 
pense of  conducting  each  department  shall  be  submitted  in  detail  form,  to- 
gether with  total  and  unit  costs  for  previous  years  arranged  in  parallel  columns. 
The  budget  shall  also  contain  the  recommendations  of  the  Manager.  There  are 
specific  provisions 'requiring  estimates  to  be  in  accordance  with  standard  forms 
and  classifications;  prepared  to  show  the  estimated  cost  of  each  department,  in- 
cluding the  public  utilities  owned  or  operated.  ^ 

Council  and  Borough  Boards  must  fix  tim,es  and  places  for  public  hearings 
on  the  budget  in  such  manner  as  to  afford  ample  opportunity  for  tax  payers  to 
be  heard  in  regard  to  proposed  appropriations.  The  budget  is  prepared  by  the 
Manager  and  must  be  adopted  by  the  Borough  Boards  and  Council  before  be- 
coming effective. 

AUDITOR: 

The  Auditor  shall  have  chargq  of  the  department  of  accounting  for  all  the 
boroughs  and  for  the  city  and  county.  He  is  appointed  from  the  Civil  Service 
list  by  the  Mayor,  subject  to  confirmation  by  the  Council,  and  receives  a  salary 
of  $5000  per  year. 

MODERN  SYSTEM  OF  UNIFORM  ACCOUNTS: 

The  Auditor  must  install  and  maintain  a  modern  accounting  system,  pro- 
vide uniform  forms  Df  account  for  all  officers  and  departm,ents.  The  require- 
ments of  such  accounting  system  are  specified  in  detail  in  the  charter,  as  are 
also  useful  safeguards  to  prevent  wrongful  expenditures  of  public  money. 

ANNUAL  AUDIT  OF  ACCOUNTS: 

All  accounts  shall  be  audited  every  year  by  certified  public  accountants  who 
are  given  unlimited  priv-^ileges  of  investigation. 


XI— SCHOOLS 


ADMINISTRATION: 


Administration  is  centralized  in  a  single  Board  of  Education.  The  city 
and  county  is  divided  into  school  districts  (the  existing  districts  are  pre- 
served for  the  present)  and  each  district  need  meet  only  the  expenses  arising 
within  its  own  territory. 

The  members  of  the  Board' of  Education  are  appointed  for  six  years  by 
the  Mayor  and  receive  only  $5  for  each  meeting  of  the  Board  attended,  pro- 
vided that  the  total  compensation  of  any  one  member  shall  not  exceed  $20  per 
month. 

There  is  only  one  Superintendent  of  Schools  for  the  entire  city  and  county 
and  all  its  boroughs. 

There  are  provisions  for  scientific  estimates  for  the  school  budget,  and 
Borough  Boards  are  given  the  powier  to  make  appropriations  in  addition  to 

10 


the    moneys    derived    from   state   and   county   funds  and  appropriations,  such 
borough  appropriations  to  be  expended  according  to  the  terms  of  appropriation. 
The  construction  of  school  buildings  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Board  of 
Public  Works. 

XII— CONTRACTS  FOR  PUBLIC  WORK 

COMPETITIVE  BIDDING: 

There  must  be  competitive  bidding  for  public  work.  An  adequate  system 
is  provided  to  secure  work  at  the  lowest  price  through  advertising  for  sealed 
proposals  requiring  proper  bonds,  etc.  The  city  and  county  is  protected  with 
reference  to  time  hmits  on  contracts,  the  payments  to  be  made  thereunder  and 
the  provisions  of  the  contracts.  There  is  an  adequate  system  provided  whereby 
the  city  and  county  and  the  boroughs  are  assured  low  rates  for  public  adver- 
tising. 

PUBLIC  WORK  TO  BE  PAID  FOR  BY  SPECIAL  ASSESSMENTS: 

The  Counci'l  is  given  the  power  to  frame  a  new  procedure  to  be  followed 
with  regard  to  all  public  work  to  be  paid  for  by  special  assessment  on  private 
property  and  may  provide  therein  that  this  work  be  done  by  contracts  let  out 
to  public  bidding  or  by  the  city  and  county  doing  the  work  itself.  Until  the 
Council  thus  provides  a  new  system  the  present  system,  is  continued  in  force, 
except  that  the  Borough  Board,  in  case  of  borough  improvements,  and  the 
Council  in  case  of  city  and  county  improvements,  are  the  respective  bodies  be- 
fore wjiom  objections  to  the  work  are  to  be  urged  and  who  decide  the  effect 
to  be  given  to  such  'objections. 

XIII— LICENSES  AND  FEES 

REVENUE: 

The  revenue  from  all  licenses,  including  the  liquor  licenses,  and  from  fees 
paid  to  officers,  such  asi  fees  paid  to  the  Tax  Collector,  Sheriff,  Public  Admin- 
istrator, etc.,  are  all  paid  into  the  city  and  county  treasury. 

LIQUOR  LICENSES: 

Existing  liquor  restrictions  are  in  no  wise  changed.  In  boroughs  wh^re 
the  sale  of  liquor  is  prohibited  at  present,  no  change  can  be  made  except  by 
vote  of  the  people  within  the  borough.  New  licenses,  in  territory  where 
the  sale  of  liquor  is  allowed,  shal'l  be  issued  only  on  the  approval  by  not 
less  than  three  affirmative  votes  of  a  Board  of  Excise,  consisting  of  the 
Chief  of  Police,  the  Director  of  Public  Welfare  and  three  othei^  members,  all  of 
whom  shall  serve  without  compensation  and  be  appointed  by  the  Borough  Board 
of  the  borough  in  which  the  license  is  to  be  issued.  Thej  amount  of  said  liquor 
license  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Council,  but  may  be  increased  by  such  Borough 
Board. 

XIV— PUBLIC    PROPERTY:    PROPERTY   OF 
THE  CITY  AND  COUNTY 

CITIES  DONATE  PROPERTY: 

All  cities  and  other  political  subdivisions  donate  their  real  property  to 

11 


the  city  and  county.  The  Oakland  City  Hall  shalll  become  the  City  Hall  for 
the  entire  city  and  county.  The  Oakland  Auditorium  becomes  the  Auditorium 
for  the  city  and  county.  The  City  of  Alameda,  however,  retains  its  electric 
light  plant  for  its  own  use  and  benefit. 

CITY  AND  COUNTY  PROVIDES  CERTAIN  ACCOMMODATIONS: 

Council  provides  accommodations  for,  the  Borough  Boards  and  borough 
officers  in  buildings   suitable  for  the  purposes. 

NO  SHIFTING  OF  INDEBTEDNESS  TO  CITY  AND  COUNTY: 

Each  city  and  other  political  subdivision  within  the  city  and  county  shall 
continue  to  stand  all  of  its  present  indebtedness. 

XV— FRANCHISES 

WHEN  REQUIRED: 

Franchises  are  required  whenever  any  public  utility  concern  uses  the  streets 
or  other  public  places  within  the  city  and  county. 

FRANCHISE  ORDINANCE  A  CONTRACT  AND  SHALL  CONTAIN 
CERTAIN  STIPULATIONS: 

Franchises  can  only  be  granted  by  ordinance  which  must  set  forth  in  plain 
terms  every  right  conferred  and  every  condition.  Every  franchise  ordinance 
shall  be  deemed  to  constitute  a  contract  between  the  city  and  county  and  the 
grantee  thereof  and  a  breach  of  such  contract  gives  the  city  and  county  the 
right  of  forfeiture  as  against  the  grantee  of  'its  franchise  and  of  its  property 
situated  in,  on,  under  or  abov'e  any  street  or  public  place. 

Each  franchise  shall  be  granted  subject  to  privilege  of  purchase  at  any  time 
by  the  city  and  county  and  each  franchise  must  contain  stipulations  which  allow 
such  purchase,  provided  that  the  value  of  the  property  be  determined  by  the 
Railroad  Commission  of  the  State  of  California,  or  failing  such  Railroad  Com- 
mision,  by  three  arbiters,  one  to  be  appointed  by  the  grantee,  one  by  the  Coun- 
cil on  the  nomination  of  the  Mayor,  and  the  third  by  the  two  so  appointed. 
The  franchise  must  provide  that  the  grantee  must  grade  and  repave  streets, 
also  repair,  clean  and  water  the  portion  of  the  street  used  by  it;  must  main- 
tain its  proportion  of  the  cost  of  erecting  or  repairing  any  grade  which 
it  uses ;  must  allow  the  city  and  county  to  use  without  charge  its  poles 
and  conduits  for  the  purposes  of  police,  fire  alarm  and  telegraph  systems; 
must  complete  construction  within  a  certain  time  and  continue  operation  at  the 
times  and  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  the  ordinance ;  must  employ  a  certain  type 
of  car ;  must  allow  the  examination  and  audit  of  its  books  by  the  Council ;  said 
franchise  being  subject  to  the  right  of  the  boroughs  and  the  city  and  county 
to  adopt  regulations  relating  to  the  operation  of  the  utility  for  the  protection 
of  the  health,  safety  and  comfort  of  the  people. 

Every  franchise  shall  contain  all  the  above  stipulations  and  any  others  that 
the  Council  may  provide.  PuMic  service  concerns  now  having  franchises  may 
surrender  their  various  franchises  and  receive  one  consolidated  franchise  to 
cover  all  their  operations  within  the  city  and  county.  This  provides  a  remedy 
whereby  the  people,  as  wxll  as  the  traction  companies,  are  fully  protected  in 
all  their  rights,  yet  it  makes  it  possible  for  the  companies  to  surrender  all  their 

12 


existing  franchises  and  in  return  receive  a  blanket  or  single  indeterminate 
franchise  covering  all  their  lines  and  future  extensions  and  improvements.   > 

This  will  greatfy  facilitate  financing. 

At  the  same  time,  it  clears  the  way  and  provides  a  method  whereby  the 
people,  at  any  time,  may  take  over  the  whole  system  under  public  ownership 
at  a  price  that  will  be  fair  to  both  the  people  and  the  traction  com^panies.  The 
purchase  price  will  be  fixed  by  the  Railroad  Commission  on  the  basis  of  the 
actual  investment  wisely  and  honestly  made  by  the  traction  companies  less 
depreciation. 

XVI— PUBLIC  UTILITIES 

OWNERSHIP:  * 

Provision  is  made  for  public  ownership  and  operation  of  utilities  and  their 
management  through  the  Department  of  Public  Works. 

The  control  of  the  Alameda  Electric  Light  Works  is  left  in  the  hands  of 
the  existing  P)0ard  to  operate  it  in  the  interest  of'  the  people  of  Alameda. 

XVII— THE  HARBOR 

There  is  a  harbor  district  created  to  includ^all  tide,  submerged  and  fiMea 
lands  and  all  water  front  property\  either  publicly  or  priv'ately  owned.  Property 
of  the  city  and  county  within  the  harbor  district  is  deemed  to  constitute  and  is 
to  be  employed  as  a  public  utility  and  is  to  be^  financed  as  such.  The  harbor 
district  is  to  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Board  of  Harbor  Commissioners 
consisting  of  the  Manager,  Director  of  Public  Works  and  three  others  appointed 
by  the  Manager.  The  Harbor  Commissioner  is  to  appoint  a  Superintendent 
and  other  officers  and  employees.  The  Board  of  Harbor  Commissioners  are 
given  broad  powers.  Revenue  from  the  harbor  or  from  the  city  and  county 
property  therein  is  to  be  paid  into  the  Harbor  Fund  and  is  to  be  expended  on 
the  development  of  the  harbor  and  any  surplus  above  that  needed  for  harbor 
development  is  to  go  into  the  general  fund  for  general  city  and  county  purposes. 

XVIII— ELECTIONS 

INITIATIVE,  REFERENDUM  AND  RECALL: 

Initiative,  referendum,  recall  and  other  similar  matters  are  adequately  pro- 
vided for.  Election  officials  are  to  be  chosen  l^y  the  Civil  Service  Board  for 
their  fitness.  To  initiate  an  initiative,  referendum  or  recall  election  there  must 
be  a  petition  signed  by  qualified  electors  equal  to  at  least  25  per  cent  of  the  total 
'number  of  persons  voting  at  the  preceding  general  election. 

Verification  deputies  are  not  permitted  to  receive  pay  for  obtaining  signa- 
tures. When  an  official  is  up  for  recall  there  shall  be  no  candidate  put  up 
against  him,  but,  only  the  question  of  his  recall  is  submitted,  and  if  recalled,  the 
vacancy  is  filled  as  other  vacancies,  by  appointment  by  council  until  the  next 
election. 

EXPIRATION  OF  TERMS  OF  OFFICE: 

Provision  is  made  that  where  a  Board  or  Commission  or  the  Municipal 
Court  Judges  are  appointed,  or  where  members  of  the  Counci'I  or  Borough 
Boards  are  to  be  elected,  a  portion  of  those  first  elected  or  appointed  retire  in 
two  years,  a  portion  in  four  years,  a  portion  in  six  years,  etc.    There  are  there- 

13 


fore  as  candidates  at  each  general  election  only  one  councilman,  two  or  three 
members  of  the  Borough  Board  and,  at  certain  elections,  the  Mayor,  District 
Attorney  and  a  portion  of  the  Judges  of  the  Superior  Court. 

SYSTrMS  OF  VOTING: 

T  ^  people  when  they  consider  the  adoption  of  the  proposed  charter  also 
havei,;t  aecide  as  to  which  of  two  distinct  and  separate  methods  of  voting  shall 
be  incorporated  in  the  charter. 

The  first  method,  which  resembles  the  system,  now  in  effect,  provides  that 
where  two  or  more  persons  are  to  be  elected  to  an  office  (as  that  of  member  of 
a  Borough  Board),  then  the  successful  candidate  must  receive  a  vote  greater 
than  one  half  the  number  of  ballots  cast  for  such  office  at  such  election ;  other- 
wise a  second  election  must  be  held  between  the  candidates  receiving  the  high- 
est number  of  votes  in  the  first  electioft. 

The  second  method  of  voting  (the  preferential  system)  allows  the  elector 
to  designate  his  first,  second  and  third  choices  for  each  office.  Because  the  voter 
at  one  election  has  designated  his  second  and  third  choices,  there  is  no  possi- 
bility (as  under  the  first  method),  for  a  second  election, 

XIX— TAKING   EFFECT  OF  THE  CHARTER 

Certain  of  the  officers  shall  be  elected  or  appointed  so  as  to  take  office  on 
the  first  day  of  July,  191 7.  These  are  officers,  whose  presence  is  needed  before 
the  new  system  goes  into  full  effect,  either  to  provide  machinery  for  the  installa- 
tion of  the  new  system  or  to  decide  preliminary  questions  of  policy.  The  officers 
who  thus  take  office  in  July  are :  The  Manager,  Auditor,  Mayor,  Councilmen 
and  Members  of  the  Borough  Board.  After  these  officers  have  accomplished 
their  preliminary  work  the  charter  will  go  into  full  effect  on  the  first  Monday 
in  October,  1917. 


Oakland  icj^i^  Enquirer 


CENTRALIZED  GOVERNMENT 

FOR  ALAMEDA  COUNTY 

AND  ITS  CITIES 


^ 


Under  a  System  of  Buroughs,  Each  City  Retaining  Its  Present 
Identity  and  Independence,  Fixing  Its  Own  Tax  Rate,  also  Con- 
trolling Expenditure  of  Same 

A  Comparison  of  Present  Conditions  With  Advantages  Shown 

Under  Proper  Federation  of  the  East   Bay    Cities   Centralizing 

Control  Under  Business  Management 


Issued  by 

City  and  County  Government  Association 

1 206  Broadway,  Oakland,  Cal. 
JUNE,   1916 


A  COMPARISON 

Showing  Why  the  East  Bay  Cities  and  the  County  Should  Unite 

Under  a  Federated  Cities  and  County  System  With 

a  City  and  County  Charter 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

There  are  TEN  separate  municipal 
governments  in  Alameda  County. 
Some.times  they  work  in  harmony 
and  sometimes  not,  but  always  with- 
out proper  co-ordination.  The 
county  is  superimposed  on  the 
municipalities,  with  a  duplicating 
set  of  officials  and  officers. 

The  valuation  of  property  for  as- 
sessment purposes  for  the  citiei?  and 
county  is  not  the  same.  This  re- 
sults in  confusion  and  inconvenience 
to  the  public,  and  requires  the  pre- 
paration of  two  delinquent  tax 
rolls. 

Co-operation  as  to  matters  of  com- 
mon interest  is  lacking  and  well 
nifjh  impos,sible. 


At  present  there  are  in  the  cities 
and  the  county: 

9  Assessors. 
11  Tax  Collectors. 
11  Treasurers. 
10  Chief  Clerks. 

4  School  Superintendents. 

5  Auditors. 

5  Purchasing  Agents. 
59  Districts    and    departments    pur- 
chasing  supplies. 
(These  are  in  addition  to  the 
5  regular  purchasing  agents.) 
3  Chiefs  of  Police. 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 

One  set  of  administrative  officials 
under  central  control. 

Each  city  maintains  its  present  in- 
dependence and  identity;  fixes  its 
tax  rate  and  the  purposes  for  which 
tax  money  shall  be  expended;  con- 
trols the  liquor  question  and  police 
and  health  regulations. 

There  will  be  one  valuation  of 
property  for  all  tax  assessment  pur- 
poses and  only  one  delinquent 
tax  roll  will  be  necessary. 

Borough  boards  or  councils  adopt 
all  policies,  but  the  details  thereof 
are"  carried  out  by  experts  appointed, 
under  civil  service,  solely  for  their 
fitness. 


Under  the  proposed  plan  there  will 
be: 

1  Assessor. 

1   Treasurer  and  Tax  Collector.^ 

(These  offices  are  combined  and 
one  office  takes  the  place  of  20  un- 
der the  present  system.) 
1  Chief  Clerk. 
1  School  Superintendent. 
1  Auditor. 
1  Purchasing  Agent. 

(Will  do  the  work  now  done  by 
64  different  bodies.) 
1   Chief  of  Police. 

(AVill  perform  the  duties  of  the 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

1  Sheriff. 
10  City  Attorneys  and  one  District 

Attorney. 
7  Constables. 

Also    other   duplicating   ofticials. 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 

Sheriff,  as  well  as  that  of  all  Chiefs 
of  Police  and  Constables.) 

iMany  other  officials  and  boards, 
Avho  are  now  duplicating  work, 
will  be  eliminated. 


Number  of  Employees  at  present         Under  the  proposed  plan  all  offi- 
in  the  county  and  the  cities  are  ap-      cials    performing    duplicating    func- 


proximately  4000. 

This  number  and  the  amount  paid 
annually  for  salaries  are  steadily 
increasing. 


tions  would  be  eliminated  and 
many  other  offices;  would,  be  con- 
solidated, thereby  saving  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  dollars  annually. 


There  is  no  single  head  on  whom 
to  fix  responsibility.  The  law  in- 
genit)usly  divider  responsibility 
among  all  of  the  elective  officers. 
This  results  in  shifting  of  blame  and 
iuefficiencv. 


The  Proposed  City  and  County 
cliarter  provides  for  a  city  manager, 
who  shall  be  the  responsible  head 
of  all  departments.  All  adminis- 
trative officers  will  be  app(ointed, 
after  qualifying  by  an  examination, 
instead  of  being  elected'. 


At  present  there  is  no  "Home 
Rule-',  in  county  affairs.  The  leg- 
islature, almost  every  session, 
adds  more  officers  and  employees, 
Avhether  needed  or  not.  The  tax- 
payers must  provide  funds  to  pay 
the  salaries. 

At  the  last  session  the  Legisla- 
ture increased  the  salary  roll  of 
Alameda  County  approximately 
$32.0€0.  This  added  to  the  tax  rate 
nearly  l^/^  cents. 


The  Proposed  Charter  for  the  city 
and  c()unty  will  provide  for  com- 
plete '^Horne  Riule, "  in  fixing  the 
number  and  salaries  of  all  officers 
and  employees. 

The  people  themselves  can  say 
what  they  want  and  when  they  want 
it,  instead  of  leaving  it  to  the  Leg- 
islature, every  two  years,  to  create 
offices  that  may  or  may  not  be 
needed,  and  for  which  the  taxpayer 
must  pay. 


Administrative   Officers   are   now 

elected  not  for  their  fitness,  but  by 
reason  of  their  popularity. 

Both  in  the  cities  and  the  county, 
officers  are  compelled  to  off^r  them- 
selves for  re-election  every  two  or 
four     vears,     and     are     obliged    to 


Under  the  proposed  system  ad- 
ministrative offi^rs,  such  as  the 
County  Clerk  and  Recorder,  Tax 
Collector,  Assessor,  etc.,  are  ap- 
pointed under  civil  service.  They 
will  be  trained  men,  and  will  have 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

enter  the  arena  of  politics  and 
spend  a  good  share  of  the  peo- 
ple's time,  paid  for  at  high  rates 
out  of  the  public  treasury  and  money 
they  should  use  for  their  own  per- 
sonal needs,  in  making-  friends  who 
will  assist  them  in  re-election,  thus 
diverting  to  campaign  purposes 
money  and  time  that  neither  th(^ 
candidates  nor  the  people  can  afford 
to  have  thus  diverted. 

Inefficiency    and     disorganization 
are  the' results. 


Under  the  present  system  the  su- 
pervisors and  various  city  councils 
have  legisilative  as '  well  as  admin- 
istrative powers.  They  present  the 
unique  spectacle  of  appropriating 
money  to  their  own  departments,  as 
administrative  officers,  then  spend- 
ing the  money  appropriated,  then,  as 
a  legivslat*ive  body,  approving  their 
own  acts. 


Under  the  present  system  of  sep- 
arate governmentsi,  all  manner  of 
prices  are  paid  for  supplies  by  the 
various  purchasing  agents. 

One  purchasing'  agent  pays  list 
price —another  buys  at  retail — ^nd 
still  others  buy  at  wholesale. 

There  is  no  standardization  of 
quality,  quantity  or  price. 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 

a  guaranteed  tenure  of  office  as  long 
as  they  ''make  g'ood."  They  must 
devote  the  whole  of  their  time  to  the 
duties  of  the  office  and  will  be 
under  no  compulsion  to  devote  time 
and  salaries  to  campaign  require- 
ments. 

Tenure  of  office  becomes  secure, 
and  efficiency  and^  organization  will 
be  the  result. 


The  proposed  charter  provides 
that  the  elected  council,  or  city 
board,  shall  have  only  legislative 
powers.  It  may  levy  the  tax,  appro- 
priate the  money  and  adopt  policies, 
but  the  actual  carrying-out  of  the 
policies  and  the  administration  of  all 
business  is  left  in  the  hands  of 
trained  experts,  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  city  manager. 


Under  a  central  purchasing  sys- 
tem for  the  federated  cities  and 
county,  with  a  competent  purcha»s- 
ing  agent  in  charge,  the  quality, 
fjuantity  and  prices  will  be  stand- 
ardized, supplies  will  be  bought  in 
large  quantities,  and  proper  dis- 
counts from  wholesale  lists  will  be 
obtained. 


Under  the  present  system  taxes 
for  benefits  and  the  cost  of  improve- 
ments are  increasing  out  of  propor- 
tion to  the  increase  in  property 
values.  Improvements  are  made 
without  any  definite  program  as  to 


Under  the  proposed  plan  a  reduc- 
tion in  taxes  will  result  by  city  plan- 
ning for  all  the  cities  as  a  unit,  in 
accordance  with  a  consistent  pro- 
gram laid  out  with  a  view  to  future 
needs  and  extending  over  a  period 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV- 
ERNMENT. 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 


future  requirements,  and  ai;;e  not  in  of  years,  as  was  suggested  by  Dr. 
concert  with  any  uniform  plan  for  Werner  Hegemann,  who  made  a  sur- 
al! the  cities  within  the  county.  vey  of  the  East  Bay  Cities. 


Employees  of  the  County,  as  well 
as  in  many  of  the  cities,  are  not 
under  civil  service  and  are  subject 
to  change  at  each  election.  This 
condition  produces  a  lack  of  interest 
in  their  work  and  keeps  them  con- 
tinually in  politics.  Can  such  a 
sj^stem  be  anything  but  inefficieni  ? 


All  Employees  appointed  will  be 
subject  to  civil  service  regulation 
(preference  will  'be  given  to  those 
now  in  office).  They  will  all  be  re- 
quired to  do  a  full  day's' work.  Ef- 
ficiency methods  and  records  will  be 
installed  whereby  the  worthj^  will  be 
protected  and  the  drones  weeded  out. 


At  present  there  is  no  uniform 
standard  for  the  school  departments 
of  the  various  cities  and  districts  in 
the  county.  One  department  pro- 
vides for  a  given  activity  in  one 
way,  and  another  for  the  sanie 
activity  in  another  way.  There  are 
several  boards  and  several  school 
,supeg*intendents,  thus  causing  a 
heavv  overhead  cost. 


The  proposed  plan  provides  for  a 
united  school  department  for  the 
v\'hole  county,  with  uniform  stand- 
ards in  educational  matters  and  a 
fixed  program  for  future  expansion 
and  activities.  This  will  reduce  the 
present  annual  overhead  cost  as  well 
as  increase  efficiencv. 


The  Purchasing  Power  of  the 
"Tax  Dollar"  is  decreasing  each 
yekr,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  increas- 
ing tax^rate. 


Citizens,  under  our  present  sys- 
tem, are  compelled  to  pay  taxes  on 
the  same  piece  of  property  at  sep- 
arate times  and  at  different  places. 
The  tax  rate  is  based  upon-jdifferent 
valuations',  these  valuations  being 
qften  estimated  by  "rule  of  thumb." 


Under  the  efficient  and  business 
methods  that  will  be  installed,  the 
"Tax  Dollar"  will  yield  one  hun- 
dred cents  to  the  taxpayer. 


All  taxes  will  be  paid  at  one  time 
and  at  one  place. 

The  tax  rate  will  be  based  on  one 
valuation,  determined  scientifically 
bv  experts  competent  to  value  real 
estate  and  improvements. 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

We  have  now  in  the  county  and 
in  the  cities  some  10  Justices  of  the 
Peace  and  Police  Judges.  Some  of 
the  judges  put  in  about  one-third 
time,  others  half  time,  hut  all  draw 
fulh  pay.  The  Justices  and  Police 
Judges  are  elected;  report  to  no  su- 
perior; and  hold  court  indlependently 
and  irregularly. 


Present  transportation  facilities 
are  inadequate  to  supply  our  wants. 
The  traction  companies'  lines  extend 
through  all  the  East  Bay  Cities  as 
far  as  Haywards. 

They  are  operating  under  mary 
and  various  formis  of  franchises. 
Some  of  these  franchises  run  for 
long  and  some  for  short  terms.  This 
precludes  at  this  time,  or  even  in  the 
near  future,  an  effective  public  own- 
ership, should  the  people  desire  it. 

Under  existing  conditions,  exten- 
sions and  improvements  cannot 
readily  be  made,  for  the  reason  that 
the  present  franchise  provisions  em- 
barrass the  proper  financing  of  such 
extensions  and  improvements. 


The  water  question  is,  at  present, 
^ery  pressing  and  important  for  the 
east  bay  cities.  It  must  be  solved  in 
the  very  near  future.    The  organiza- 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 

The  proposed  charter  abolishes 
all  justice,  and  police  courts  and 
creates  in  their  stead  a  municipal 
court  with  five  departments.  The 
judges  of  these  departments  are 
prohibited  from  .practicing  law 
within  the  county,  and  must  devote 
all  their  time  to  the  court's  busi- 
ness. The  coiuirt  has  jurisdiction 
over  the  entire  county. 


The  proposed  charter  provides  a 
remedy  whereby  the  people,  as  well 
as  the  traction  companies,  are  fully 
protected  in  all  their  rights,  yet  it 
makes-  it  possible  for  the  companies 
to  surrender  all  their  existing  fran- 
chises and  in  return  receive  a 
blanket  or  single  indeterminate 
franchise  covering  all  their  lines 
and  future  extensions  and  improve- 
ments. 

This  will  greatly  facilitate  financ- 
ing. 

At  the  same  time,  it  clears  the 
way  and  provides  a  method  where- 
by the  people,  at  any  time,  may 
take  over  the  whole  system  under 
public  ownership  at  a  price  that 
will  be  fair  to  both  the  people  and 
the  traction  companies.  The  pur- 
chase price  will  be  fixed  by  the  Rail- 
road Commission  on  the  basis  of  the 
actual  investment  wisely  and  hon- 
estly made  by  the  traction  com- 
panies, less  depreciation. 


Under  the  plan  of  federating  the 
cities  as  proposed  in  the  new  Char- 
ter, the  water  ((uestion  becomes 
comparatively   easy   of  solution.     A 


CONDITIONS  UNDER  THE  PRES- 
ENT SYSTEM  OF  DUAL  GOV: 
ERNMENT. 

tion  of  the  cities  of  Alameda  County 
is  such  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
effect  a  solution  of  that  question 
satisfaetoril}^ :  and  it  is  conjectural 
whether  it  can  be  done  at  all. 


WHAT  FEDERATION  WILL  DO 
UNDER  THE  PROPOSED  CITY 
AND  COUNTY  CHARTER. 

(luestion  the  solution  of  which  so 
vitally  affects  the  well-being,  com- 
fort and  health  of  the  people  should, 
in  itself,  almost  be  sufficient  justifi- 
cation for  the  adoption  of  the  pro- 
posed new  form  of  government. 


Under  present  conditions  the  bal-  Under  the  proposed  plan  the  bal- 
lot is  long,  complicated  and  mysti-  lot  will  be  short,  simple  and  intel- 
fyii^g-  liable. 


At  the  present  time  the  county  is 
facing  a  probable  increase  in  taxes 
to  meet  the  cost  of  purchasing  land 
and  constructing  buildings  to  ade- 
quately house  county  offices,  v/hose 
tunetions  overlap  those  of  city 
offices. 


The  present  municipal  and  county 
governments  of  Alameda  County  are 
an  effort  to  build,  upon  a  foundation 
of  a  worn-out  political  system,  a 
structure  adequate  to  meet  the  needs 
of  modern  business  and  social  con- 
ditions. These  dual  governments  are 
a  failure — unwieldly,  expensive  and 
inefficient. 


Under  the  proposed  plan  the 
purchase  of  additional  land  and  the 
construction  of  new  buildings  to 
house  county  offices  would  be  un- 
necessary. Oakland's  beautiful  city 
hall  and  auditorium  would  become 
available  immediately  for  county,  as 
well  as  city  purposes. 


The  new  city  and  county  charter 
will  give  us  a  system  of  government 
that  has  been  scientifically  worked 
out  in  the  light  of  experience  and 
adapted  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  modern  economic,  industrial  and 
social  conditions.  Politics  and  spoils 
are  replaced  Iby  policies  and'  effi- 
ciency. The  interest  and  welfa're  of 
the  few  gives  way  to  the  good  of 
the  many. 


Oakland 


Enquirer 


I 


- — OCLaa_a)07 


